3.0. SR 01-21-1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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who visited that park during the past twelve months. Lions Park ranked second at a usage rate of sixty-six percent. Facilities located at the schools drew visitors from fifty-one percent of the households in Elk River. Handke Outdoor Ice Arsna and the softball complex attracted members of about forty percent of the households in the city during the past ysar. Woodland. Trails Park, virtually undeveloped, was visited by only ten percent of the sample's households. While Orono Park is the pre-eminent facility in the park system, Lions Park and school-based offerings also serve large segments of the community. Park visitors were queried about the types of recreational facilities they used most frequently. Most respondents reported passively walking around the park they visited. But, the swimming beach was used on at least an occasional basis by sixty percent of the households in the city. Softball fields and play equipment served about forty percent of the households.. The picnic peri!lions, sliding hills, and soccer fields possessed a smaller, but significant audience within Elk River. In comparison with other communities, Elk River residents use the park and recreational facilities in atypically high numbers. The City received kudos for its maintenance and upkeep of ~ the park facilities. Eighty-eight percent approved of the c~ty's '" efforts, while only eight percent expressed ~isamproval. As for ~ unmet needs, only trails were mentioned frequently enough, at seven percent, to warrant further study. The residents were asked their opinion of a more extensive----' trail system to link the city's neighborhoods. The concept was favored by a large seventy-six percent majority. However, when the subject of property tax increases to pay for its development was raised, half of the support changed opinions: a forty percent to thirty-eight percent negative verdict occurred. There would be substantial difficulty, consecuentlv, in passing a referendum at this time. ° ' A nearly similar pattern emerged on the question of a downtown river walk. Seventy-three percent favored the concept. But, if property tax increases would be required to fund the construction, then a forty-four percent to thirty-seven percent plurality emerged in favor of the project. This project would be viable at the polls, but a highly effective and aggressive campaign would be needed to carry the day. Residents felt strongly, however, about the characteristics of any trail system in Elk River. Seventy-six percent felt it should serve both pedestrians and bicyclists. Seventy percent wanted to see the recently p~r~hased abandoned railroad corridor developed into a component of the system. And, surprisingly, one-half of the residents would grant the City an easement if the trail system ran by their property. Reinforcing these results, trails were also narrowly designated the priority for development, edging smaller neighborhood parks and outdistancing larger community playfields. The ~oncept, then, is highly